鹤 meaning and stroke order
Crane; Grus species (various)
How to write 鹤, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 鹤
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- crane
How 鹤 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bird.
鸟 gives the meaning and 隺 hints at the sound.
Radical: 鸟 (bird), shared by 72 characters on this site.
How to remember 鹤
On the right is 鸟 (niǎo), bird, which tells you the meaning. On the left is 隺, the sound part, so picture a tall bird standing beside its own name tag: 鹤 (hè), the crane.
鹤 (hè) usually appears in compounds and set phrases rather than alone, and it often carries a sense of elegance or long life in Chinese culture. The idiom 鹤立鸡群 is common for someone who stands out. Example: 他在班上真是鹤立鸡群。(Tā zài bān shàng zhēn shì hèlìjīqún.) He really stands out in his class.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 鹤 (hè) with 鸭 (yā, duck) or 鸡 (jī, chicken) because they share the 鸟 side. Look at the left part: only the crane has 隺, with a 冖 cover on top.
Common words with 鹤
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
鹤 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 鹤
How many strokes are in 鹤?
鹤 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 鹤 mean?
鹤 (hè) means crane; Grus species (various). A common word with it is 仙鹤 (xiānhè), meaning "red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis)".
How do you pronounce 鹤?
鹤 is pronounced hè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 鹤?
The radical of 鹤 is 鸟, which carries the idea of "bird". Dictionaries list 鹤 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 鹤?
The traditional form of 鹤 is 鶴. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 鹤 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 鹤 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 鹤 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 鹤 and 仙鹤?
鹤 (hè) is the general word for crane. 仙鹤 (xiānhè) literally means immortal crane and usually refers to the red-crowned crane, the bird often seen in Chinese paintings.
Why is the crane a symbol of long life in China?
In traditional Chinese art and phrases, the crane is linked with longevity and immortals, which is why it appears in the word 仙鹤 (xiānhè). You will often see it on birthday decorations for older people.